DTV Sales Explode In September

Digital Television (DTV) sales in September were more than double August sales, bringing year-to-date sales to 53,415, and total DTV sales to 66,591, according to numbers released today by the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA). September was also a stellar month across video products, continuing a record year for the category. DTV sales spiked in September with sales of more than 15,000 units, up 125 percent over August sales. Third quarter sales were up 81 percent over the second quarter - with more than 26,000 units sold. Video sales in September experienced a 27 percent increase over the same month last year in shipments of video products, reaching 6.9 million units. In the first three quarters of 1999, 41.3 million units were shipped, compared with 34.3 million last year, representing a 21 percent increase. ""DTV is clearly here. The transition is fully underway,"" said CEMA President Gary Shapiro. ""These figures reinforce what we have long believed: consumers who experience DTV love it and the excitement and interest in DTV is driving consumers into retail outlets, helping fuel extraordinary growth across the entire video category."" Direct view analog TV sales rose seven percent in the month; while within that category, large screen televisions measuring 30 inches and higher leapt 22 percent. In the year to date, total direct view sales are up two percent over the first three quarters of 1998, reaching shipment levels of 16.2 million units. TV/VCR combinations and VCR decks jumped 44 percent and 33 percent respectively in September. Combination sales stand at an unprecedented 3.1 million units in the first nine - one million units higher than last year. VCR sales have reached a record level of 15.5 million units in the first three quarters - up 27 percent. In fact, with the exception of analog TV sales, most of the sales numbers generated in the video area have been record-breaking so far this year. Projection televisions were up 27 percent in September; up 12 percent in the year-to-date. Camcorders jumped 23 percent in the month and 19 percent in the year-to-date. Additionally, nearly 2.4 million DVD units have been shipped so far this year, well on track to meet CEMA's projection of 3 million units being sold in 1999.